1. Field
The present work relates generally to transferring data between two interconnected integrated circuit devices (chips) and, more particularly, to accessing memory on a first integrated circuit device from a second integrated circuit device.
2. Background
In some conventional data processing systems, a memory on a first integrated circuit device is accessed by a second integrated circuit device connected to the first device, whereby the second device may store data in the memory and retrieve data from the memory. In such an arrangement, the second device typically has a DMA-like connection to the memory on the first device. Some conventional architectures use a PCI-Express interface to implement this connection. However, the size and power requirements of that interface are not particularly suited to some (e.g., handheld) applications.
Other conventional interfaces, such as Secure Data I/O (SDIO), have relatively small size and power requirements, and are capable of providing a DMA-like connection to memory on the first device. Disadvantageously, however, the process of implementing the memory connection via such interfaces is often complicated and time-intensive.
With ever-increasing demands for improved data processing throughput, it is desirable to provide for increased efficiency in implementing the desired connection to memory.